STUDENTS and others protesting about climate change should keep in mind that if there’s no coal, there’s no dole. CONGRATULATIONS to all the young people who are trying to wake up a government asleep at the wheel. It has restored my faith in the future. PRETTY soon Scott Morrison is going to realise that it is useless trying to appease a man like Malcolm Turnbull just to keep him onside. After calling former PMs Tony Abbott and Kevin Rudd “miserable ghosts” for commentating on politics, Mr. Turnbull is looking more and more foolish every time he opens his mouth. He seems to be on a mission to destroy the Liberal party for having the audacity to remove him from office. Scott Morrison is doing his best to repair the damage that Malcolm Turnbull left behind. OF course it's not the motorists who put "the place to be" on those Victorian number plates, but Steve Barnett (Letters 30/11) reminds me that "NSW towards 2000" might be a good plate to have nowadays. Trouble is the way the world's going I can't decide if it's a good idea or not. THE weapon of mass destruction is the suicide bomber, yet to deal his cards of destruction on Australian soil. If you are not yet sufficiently alert and alarmed, I say you should be now. WITH Labor leader Daley publicly opposed to any changes to late night trading hours (SMH, 12/11), how does this fit with Newcastle City Council's support for relaxation of these very successful restrictions? Does Council advocate for the community, hoteliers, or state ALP policy? DOUBTLESS the electors of Hughes are delighted the NSW Liberal Party executive has decided to endorse Craig Kelly, thus giving them the opportunity of removing him as their representative. PAMELA Douglas describes the happy memories of her childhood (Letters, 3/12). She includes gramma pies, but says "No one knows what they are today." My mother was a gramma pie fan, so I searched for them a couple of years ago. I'm happy to report that Bones Bakery at Waratah still makes them when gramma is in season. PAMELA Douglas (Letters 3/12), I also had a childhood like yours. Living at Windale, we were able to walk to the beach as well. There we built a fire and threw on unpeeled potatoes. They never tasted any good, though. On the way home we sometimes raided the orchard at Tom Jacks on the highway. Weekends were also spent playing wars in the houses being built. If the local policeman Sergeant Luxford caught us, we got a kick in the bum. It was a great way to grow up and we never had adult supervision. They were the good old days.

Short Takes December 7 2018: readers have their say on the day’s news

STUDENTS and others protesting about climate change should keep in mind that if there’s no coal, there’s no dole.

John Alterator, Hawks Nest

CONGRATULATIONS to all the young people who are trying to wake up a government asleep at the wheel. It has restored my faith in the future.

Peter Moylan, Glendale

PRETTY soon Scott Morrison is going to realise that it is useless trying to appease a man like Malcolm Turnbull just to keep him onside. After calling former PMs Tony Abbott and Kevin Rudd “miserable ghosts” for commentating on politics, Mr. Turnbull is looking more and more foolish every time he opens his mouth. He seems to be on a mission to destroy the Liberal party for having the audacity to remove him from office. Scott Morrison is doing his best to repair the damage that Malcolm Turnbull left behind.

Jim Gardiner, New Lambton

OF course it's not the motorists who put "the place to be" on those Victorian number plates, but Steve Barnett (Letters 30/11) reminds me that "NSW towards 2000" might be a good plate to have nowadays. Trouble is the way the world's going I can't decide if it's a good idea or not.

Ed Matzenik, Maitland

THE weapon of mass destruction is the suicide bomber, yet to deal his cards of destruction on Australian soil. If you are not yet sufficiently alert and alarmed, I say you should be now.

Richard Ryan, Summerland Point

WITH Labor leader Daley publicly opposed to any changes to late night trading hours (SMH, 12/11), how does this fit with Newcastle City Council's support for relaxation of these very successful restrictions? Does Council advocate for the community, hoteliers, or state ALP policy?

John Beach, Cooks Hill

DOUBTLESS the electors of Hughes are delighted the NSW Liberal Party executive has decided to endorse Craig Kelly, thus giving them the opportunity of removing him as their representative.

Ian De Landelles, Murrays Beach

PAMELA Douglas describes the happy memories of her childhood (Letters, 3/12). She includes gramma pies, but says "No one knows what they are today." My mother was a gramma pie fan, so I searched for them a couple of years ago. I'm happy to report that Bones Bakery at Waratah still makes them when gramma is in season.

Michael Jameson, New Lambton

PAMELA Douglas (Letters 3/12), I also had a childhood like yours. Living at Windale, we were able to walk to the beach as well. There we built a fire and threw on unpeeled potatoes. They never tasted any good, though. On the way home we sometimes raided the orchard at Tom Jacks on the highway. Weekends were also spent playing wars in the houses being built. If the local policeman Sergeant Luxford caught us, we got a kick in the bum. It was a great way to grow up and we never had adult supervision. They were the good old days.